Bought a used 1.6a PIV for $93, was it wise?

[Xtasy]

I just won an auction on ebay for a 4 month-used 1.6a northwood (originally a retail boxed processor) for $93. My questions is whether buying a 1.6a is still wise? Currently i have a sis645 mobo with the necessary dividers at 133mhz fsb and a 1.6ghz williamette piv. I know that the 1.6a is discontinued, but is it still the best overclocking northwood out there? Or should i have bought the 1.8a or 2.0a? Thanks for the feedback. I'm planning to get a more recent mobo soon to use with this processor.

 

[SupermanCK]

so far 1.6a is still the best...second is 2.26b...then now it is 1.8a...
when c1 stepping comes out...maybe the 1.8a...

 

[CrazySaint]

Actually, the 2.26Bs are the best OC chip out there (in terms of highest clockspeed, not % increase over original clockspeed), and the 1.8As are second. Having said that, if you got a good 1.6A, then that may well have been $93 well spent. Your 1.6A should still hit at least 2.4GHz, and 2.5-2.6 are possible (with reasonable vcores). Comparitively, a 1.8A would probably hit 2.5-2.7GHz (with a possible 2.8-3GHz). So you saved about $50 and likely lost about 200MHz (+/- 100) OC potential. I'd say you got a fair deal.

 

[Duvie]

I wonder about the whole thing...give more details...

Bying anything on egay without knowing all the numbers of the chip and whether it has ever been tested in ocing is risky.....

It could be an older pack date besides being used for 4 months and you may have a chip that can't do 2.2-2.3ghz withut 1.65-1.7v

Good luck!!!

It was agreat price though hands down....So even if you get 1.6a and ocing is poor you still got a good deal on a 1.6hgz chip....Worst oced 1.6's I have seen still made it to 1.8-1.9ghz...

 

[Mikki]

I agree, it's a good deal even if ya don't oc, but is it a super deal? Won't know till you crank that puppy up!

Would the 2.2b be a better chip? Can you get the same ddr speeds with a 2.2b as you can with a 1.6a? And does it matter? For instance, look at Duvie's sig, he's got an incredible oc'er there, and he's running a 1:1 ratio, is that better for overall performance than it would be if he backed down on the fsb a bit and used a 3:4/4:5 ratio? Am I making sense? I guess what I'm trying to say is if memory speed isn't going to affect your overall performance that much, then the 2.2b cranked up is the best oc'er, but if it does, then I'll stay with my 1.6a...

 

[Duvie]

Hey Mikki...Got a Epox 4g4a+ (proven ocer for a guy running 1.6@2.66ghz) coming....I am hoping to be able to run at same 171fsb but with a 4:5 ratio will allow me to run my memory at 428mhz ddr which has been tested to work for me know except I would have to back down to 161fsb or 2576mhz to get it....

I have tested this thoroughly if you have read my past threads and my current setup with cas 2 memory at turbo settings and 2.736ghz cpu is faster then 2.64ghz with 440mhz ddr....My memory will run at 440+ DDR but I start experiencing restart issues. At 428mhz ddr it was memtested and no restart issues so hopefully at this time next week I will have

1.6@2.736ghz (684fsb) (1.71v) 428mhz ddr cas 2.5,6,3,3....

 

[Mikki]

Hiya Duvie, that's cool about the mobo-->that thing is gonna scream!

Thanks for the info, that's what I was looking for. I remember us yapping about that before, I just wanted to lay it out again for the folks choosing a system.

 

[jaybee]

I'd love to see how high it goes. My guess is the guy sold it because it doesn't oc well. LMK plz

jaybee

 

[MadTom]

1.6A rules. You won't regret it.